I can’t believe it’s going to be 2010 in 3 days! This year has been filled with many ups and downs, but I’ve enjoyed our adventures- especially beginning Mkokopelli! In the past 6 months, I’ve had the chance to meet some amazing people and review some awesome products that have truly made a big impression. After writing 147 reviews and giveaways, I wanted to create my 2009 top 20 Eco-friendly products/companies. This was REALLY hard to narrow down since we have truly loved everything that we’ve received. But these are things we use (almost) every day. Here they are in no particular order:

Just Tomatoes, Etc. has been a huge hit in my house. I love their powdered organic fruits that go on everything. You can sprinkle them on ice cream, yogurt, cookies, muffins and so much more. Their dehydrated fruit is also a great on the go snack.

During my Personal Care Week, I fell in love with Juice Beauty. Their Green Apple Peel has done wonders for my open pores and black heads.

Also during my Personal Care week, I did a review for John Masters Organics hair care products. I’ve been hooked on their Honey and Hibiscus Hair Reconstructor. I have “salon hair” EVERY day!

The Skin Free Eczema kit has cleared my eczema. I’ve had it bad on my arms and legs for years and not even dermatologist prescribed lotions could cure it. After a month using Skin Free, I am bump free!!

Air-O-Swiss has given us a special gift of moist air. Their Evaporator helped heal a 10 month sinus infection. And I know if Ella and I hadn’t been using the Evaporator over the past 2 weeks we would have ended up at the doctors.

During my Eco-friendly Fall Week, I got to review the DreamSacks Athena Tunic and Scarf. My dad ordered me some other outfits and I keep forgetting to take pictures while wearing them! DreamSacks has to be the most comfortable clothing that I have ever worn. I have especially loved my new pj’s. And Ella still loves her super soft Knit blanket that I’m waiting for them to design in my size. 😉

OK, so I haven’t gotten to wear these this month, but I still love my Greenbees Estephania Sandals and can’t wait for warmer weather so I can wear them again. All of Greenbees shoe soles are made with recycled tire rubber.

I know you are all aware of my bag obsession by now, but the Keen Northrup Tote has stolen my heart. The million pockets are what makes this tote so amazing. It’s my purse/kid bag that fits everything. Even though there are wear and tear rips, holes and tons of creases, I still proudly carry my Keen tote 🙂

Charlie’s Soap has been amazing. We have loved the laundry powder that truly cleans your clothes. The Charlie’s All Purpose Cleaner has done wonders on stains around the house. Plus, it’s all safe, non-toxic and biodegradable.

Eye Of The Whale is one of the best books I have ever read! If you are looking for a great Eco-thriller, this book is for you. Not to mention all of the information that is hidden throughout the book. Doug Abrams is a literary genius.

Ella’s Favorites:

We had a search for the softest Eco blanket and the Lotus Bebe blanket was Ella’s pick. Ella still sleeps with her Lotus Bebe soy blanket every night and it hasn’t lost any of its softness!

Mkokopelli had a Eco-friendly Toy Week and Ella’s favorite has been her Swaddle Baby. She still sleeps with “baby Ella” every night. Swaddle Babies are custom made dolls with Eco-friendly fabrics. This is a great alternative to plastic dolls!

Earth Mama Angel Baby is definitely my favorite baby shampoo and body wash. This foamy soap smells amazing and it leaves Ella’s hair silky smooth. The best part is that all of Earth Mama Angel Baby products score a 0 on the Cosmetic Database. I have also LOVED their Happy Mama Spray. The smell of tangerine really does put this mama in a happy mood!

Atlantis Natural sent us a Lunchopolis to review from New Wave Enviro and this BPA free lunch kit has really come in handy! Ella loves the 15 oz. water bottle and the stainless steel bottle for on the go.

Since our Curious Chef review, Ella has taken a strong liking to baking. She pulls up her stool every time I’m in the kitchen and grabs her Curious Chef tools. I had no clue this cookie kit would inspire her to become a little chef, but I’m loving sharing the kitchen with her… on most occasions.

PlanToys has been a BIG hit in our house this year. From reviews, giveaways and presents, Ella has racked up. And thanks to The Acorn Store, Ella has a horse that matches the dirt. I love that PlanToys uses replenished rubberwood and manufactures their toys at their own facility. They are high quality toys that will last a life time and worth spending the extra penny on!

5 months ago I was in shock when I saw what fingernail polish could do to a Styrofoam plate. Luckily, there is Piggy Paints which are all natural nail polishes for children. Ella loves her Piggy Paints and begs to do her nails every week.

Ella wears her Soft Star shoes almost every day. I’m even thinking about ordering a new pair in the same style but larger because she loves them so much. Soft Star is a Eco-friendly company in all aspects and I applaud their efforts on doing their part in helping the planet- and my little girl’s feet!

The Eco Foam Memory Mattress is seriously amazing! I still creep into Ella’s room at night and sleep with her when my back is hurting. I can’t wait until I can afford to buy one for myself. The Eco Foam Memory Mattress is the most comfortable mattress I have EVER slept on. And I’ve slept on some pretty comfy beds. The plant based foam is breathable and keeps your body temp regulated.

I have enjoyed reading our Little Green Books collection to Ella every night. She is loving learning how she can help the environment! Little Green Books has a great selection of earth friendly books to pass along the green message!

Hope you enjoyed looking back at some of my favorites! I can’t wait to see what 2010 brings!!!

I read this story not too long ago and it was in a book, One, I got for Christmas. I wanted to share it with you because it truly reminds you to stop and listen to the music:

The Man in the Metro: It was all videotaped by a hidden camera. He was a young white man in jeans, T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. He positioned himself by a trash basket at a metro station in Washington, DC and started playing the violin for passing pedestrians. He played six Bach pieces during the rush hour as thousands of people filed through the station, most of them on their way to work. After the first four minutes went by, a man briefly leaned against the wall to listen, but then looked at his watch and started to walk again, clearly late for work. A little later the violinist received a dollar tip from a woman who tossed the money in his open violin case, but without stopping. Others flipped quarters, nickels, or pennies on the run. The ones who paid the most attention were the children. The Washington Post reported, “Every single time a child walked past, he or she tried to stop and watch. And every single time, a parent scooted the kid away.” In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. Others who were on their cell phones spoke louder as they passed the violinist, so their voices could be heard over the music. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed and no one applauded.

No one knew that the violinist was actually Joshua Bell, the internationally acclaimed virtuoso. That day in the metro he played one of the greatest pieces of music ever written- Bach’s Partita No. 2- on a Stradivarius worth $3.5 million. Just two days before, he sold out a theater in Boston where the tickets averaged $100. Life’s music is everywhere and all around us. If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing some of the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!


When I am facing a problem, I usually dwell on it before I fall asleep. I try to work out the solution or create lists in my head about things that need to get done to resolve the issue. I also tend to write poetry or come up with great ideas that I tend to forget when I wake up. I can’t tell you how many amazing poems I’ve written that are lost in thought! When I was pregnant with Ella, I did a really good job at keeping a journal to document my feelings and what I was going through. It was really therapeutic since I was going through some tough emotions. But, after I had her I slacked off. Writing always gives me a clearer picture of what’s going on, so I’ve started jotting down my feelings and thoughts at night when I can’t sleep. Since we are about to start a new year, it’s a perfect time for you to start a “cleansing” journal, special story, or even lists of your goals and dreams to accomplish this year.

You might remember my review of the Celery Street Night Bird Overnight Bag from a couple of weeks ago that was gorgeous! Celery Street has amazing and affordable Eco-friendly, recycled, reused, and refurbished gifts, housewares and other practical items that are truly unique. They also carry beautiful Eco-friendly writing journals in many different styles. You can choose from blank, lined, and handmade journals. They also sell day planners, address books and guest books.

Celery Street sent me a Paper Blanks-Beautiful Bold Slim Writing Journal in Filigree Floral Ebony that truly is beautiful! You can’t see the fine sparkly details in the picture, but there is glitter and iridescent markings in the flowers and trim. I love that the journal is thin! It fits perfectly on my wall shelf that’s next to my bed. I also love the romantic feel of the journal. It’s not your ordinary paper journal that you’d jot a grocery list in. This is something you’d want to pour your heart and soul into. I imagine it being passed down to my great grandchildren… maybe that’s because the design was inspired by a 1860’s pattern. It just looks like something your grandmother would give you- and I say that in the most stylish way possible.

The journal comes with a ribbon place marker so you know where you last wrote or read. I also LOVE the pocket in the back of the journal to store mementos, letters or torn out pages. The acid-free journal is made with sustainable forest pulp and the binder boards are made with 100% recycled paper. The journal closes with a magnetic wrap, so you don’t have to worry about your mementos falling out. You can get the Filigree Floral Ebony Journal at Celery Street for only $14.95!! That’s a steal for the quality of this journal!

The Giveaway: Celery Street would like to give 1 lucky winner a Filigree Floral Ebony journal!!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST January 11, 2010 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

How to Enter: Go to Celery Street and tell me another “cleansing” product you like. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified
4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Subscribe to the RSS Feed of the Celery Street Blog
7. Become a Fan of Celery Street on Facebook
8. Join the Eco-Friendlist Sign Up Newsletter for Celery Street
9. Grab my button

New disclaimer: I was sent these items to review from Celery Street. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

Check out this contest from Greenwala! If you go and vote for me, you can get 5 extra entries to any giveaway going on!! 🙂 Remember all comments left here will not count. If you want to enter the contest you must sign up at Greenwala.

Greenwala and Skin Free Skincare would like to know how you are being Eco-Chic??

Skin Free Skincare with over 30 years experience in compounding and natural skin care offers a unique product line with naturally occurring vegetable oils and butters that contain indigenous nutrients, antioxidants, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), and antibacterial agents that petroleum-based oils just don’t have. Skin Free Skincare is safe, effective, & affordable. Rated “0” in toxicity by the Environmental Working Group, these products are vegan & even edible. Why put something on your skin that you wouldn’t put in your body. Go Skin Free & be healthy inside & out!

Please share a picture of yourself or your favorite Eco-Chic products along with a description of how you are being eco-friendly with your fashion, skin care, make-up and more!

How to Submit:
1. Upload your photo and your Eco-Chic story
2. Click the Submit Entry tab and follow the steps provided.
3. Tell your friends to come to Greenwala, vote for your entry, and tell them to share your entry!

Three winners will be selected from the top TEN vote getters by the Greenwala and Skin Free Care editorial staffs.

Congrats to Snowflake07 for winning the Wild Dill Giveaway!!

Congrats to Tylerpants for winning the Franklin Goose Giveaway!!

Congrats to Jaime for winning the Sprig Toys Adventure Series Dolphin Explorer Boat!!

Congrats to Ashley for winning the HaPe E-racer!!

Congrats to The Noble Fat N Happy One for winning the My Precious Kid Child ID Kit!!

Congrats to adrian, Laureen, mama k, rainmommy, and jamielz for winning the My Precious Kid Car Seat ID Cards!!

Congrats to Anonymous for winning the Shaklee giveaway!!

Thanks to everyone that entered!! Here are the giveaways ending this week: $30 GC to Skin Free Ends 12/27

• $25 GC to Eden Fantasys Ends 12/28
• $20 GC to GetN’Green Ends 12/29
• Little Twig Mini Gift Set Ends 12/30
• BARBAR Eco 8000 Ends 1/1
• Case of Clean Flame Logs Ends 1/4

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!
Now that the holidays are over and we are about to begin a new year, I want to focus a little on cleansing. Not cleansing your house, but your body. The holidays can be stressful! And there’s no need to start a new year holding on to things in the past. It’s time for a new beginning and to let go of all of the “drama” from 2009.

I wanted to start off by sharing with you Blue Ridge Gypsy. They are the same company as Skin Free, but sell a larger variety of products. You can find fragrant soaps, lotions, spritzes, salts, diffusers, and more. They are made with the same ingredients as the Skin Free products, but they come in 8 different fragrances. Blue Ridge Gypsy only uses real essential oils for their and organic when possible.

I believe in using the senses to help heal and relax your body. Looking at beautiful art makes me happy. Listening to relaxing music or positive speeches mellows me out. Being wrapped in a fuzzy blanket or robe comforts me. Tasting is an easy one- there are all sorts of comfort foods and drinks that change my mood. But my weakness is Godiva. And then there is smell. I think smells can affect your mood without you even knowing it. I was having trouble sleeping and couldn’t figure out why. When I’d go upstairs, I’d be exhausted. But once I got into my bed, I was wide awake. I wash my hands before I go to bed and one night I was reading about the scents in my hand soap. I was using a ginger soap and didn’t realize ginger is a stimulant for your body. I quit using the soap at night and had no problems.

So if you are having problems sleeping, look at what your soaps and cleansers are made with. Or if you need an extra kick in the morning, find a stimulating fragrance to start your day. This also works if you are in a bad mood. Find your favorite scent and take a whiff to clear your head. Tangerine always refreshes me!

Blue Ridge Gypsy sent me their Mandarin Vanilla Handmade Shea Butter Soap and Butter Creme Lotion and I’ve loved them! Mandarin has sedative qualities and helps with restlessness and insomnia. Which is a perfect night time soap. Vanilla is a sweet yummy scent and it is actually an aphrodisiac. Vanilla is also the 2nd most expensive spice due to the extensive labor required to grow the seed pods. The mandarin vanilla combination is really delightful and has helped me fall asleep fast. Since the mandarin and vanilla is mixed with Shea butter, your skin is left moisturized and soft. I can’t wait to try the Mandarin Vanilla bath salts, diffuser, and liquid soap! They are on my wish list. 🙂

Blue Ridge Gypsy fragrances include Truest Rose, Mandarin Vanilla, Tuscan Lavender, Winter Yuzu, Woodspice, Honeysuckle, Peaceful Patchouli, and Grapefruit Geranium. I love the variety of scents and all of the options. They really have something for everyone’s mood.

The Giveaway: Blue Ridge Gypsy would like to give 1 lucky reader a $30 Gift Card! You can combine Blue Ridge Gypsy purchases with Skin Free and you get free shipping when you spend $25 or more!

Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST January 10, 2010 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US and Canada

How to Enter: Go Blue Ridge Gypsy and tell me which fragrance would put you in a good mood. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified
4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Tell me what you’d purchase with your GC
7. Subscribe to the RSS Feed to the Skin Free Blog or follow their blog
8. Become a Fan of Skin Free on Facebook
9. Follow Skin Free on Twitter
10. Grab my button

New disclaimer: I was sent these items to review from Blue Ridge Gypsy. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

Some of you might remember my Puppy Pie review several months ago. If not, Puppy Pie makes beautiful Eco-friendly dog sweaters from reclaimed wool and cashmere clothing. They are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized and then made into unique, custom sweaters for your dog. Above is my dog Priscilla in her Puppy Pie sweater, which has come in handy this past week!

Puppy Pie just opened up a new store on Etsy and they are adding new products every week plus taking custom orders! They are having a holiday sale and prices have been cut 10-15%! Be sure to check them out 🙂

You might remember my review of Franklin Goose a couple of weeks ago. Franklin Goose is a 1 stop Eco-friendly shop that is brand new. They would love your feedback and would like to give you the chance to win a $50 gift card by filling out a short survey! The survey ends Dec. 30th, so hurry over and fill it out. http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e2n7xo8pg2njrmjr/start

Franklin Goose isn’t trying to sell anything, collect personal information to share or use for any other purpose than finding out what you like. 🙂 There will be 1 winner selected and they will be contacted through email. No comments left here will count.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all that entered!!

When I burned our first fire this year, you could smell it all throughout the house. The chimney is clean and the flue was open. The only thing I could think it could be was the wood that I was using, but didn’t think anything of it. I just did a search and found out that wood can emit carbon monoxide and even formaldehyde! Dead wood is also a breeding ground for mold and when burnt the mold spores actually spread throughout your house.

I did research on fire logs and though some claim to be eco-friendly, they don’t list their ingredients. Some use bio-wax, which is harming rain forests and orangutans. One company said they use natural oils and plants, but even some natural oils can be toxic when burned. Then I came across Clean Flame.

Clean Flame is truly a eco-friendly fire log from all aspects. The Clean Flame log is made of 100% non-toxic recycled wax cardboard that would otherwise end up in landfills. 600,000 TONS of WOCC (Waxed Old Corrugated Cardboard) go into landfills every year and 1,500,000 WOCC are made every day in the US. It also takes over 50 years to decompose- which is the goal of waxing the boxes. The waxed boxes are mostly used for shipping products shipped with ice for fresh produce. Luckily Clean Flame found a use for them.

The Clean Flame log produces 86% less creosote, 80% less carbon monoxide, 30% less particulate matter, and 50% more heat/pound than oak firewood. Oak is the cleanest burning wood. The cool thing about Clean Flame logs is that you can use them in a wood burning stove, you can use them indoors or out, you can use multiple fire logs and even use them with real wood. They have little smoke and odor and produce a perfect fire. You can even roast marshmallows with them!!

Clean Flame sent us a case of logs and I am more than impressed! Before I learned about burning regular wood, we had bought a truckload full. I had issues keeping the fire going and when I used Clean Flame, it was perfect. It started instantly and was beautiful. Except for the odor permeating throughout my house. When I burned the Clean Flame by itself, I smelled nothing! When you use 2 logs it looks more like a wood burning fire, which I’ve really liked. There is something about a big fire. The Clean Flame logs also do a good job on heating my basement, even when they aren’t used with wood.

Luckily when I was grocery shopping last week, I was able to find Clean Flame!! And they cost less than any other fire log brands. 🙂

The Giveaway: Clean Flame would like to give 1 lucky reader a case of Clean Flame logs!!Rules: You have until 11:59 p.m. EST January 4, 2010 to enter. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced after they respond to the winning email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to the winning email, or a new winner will be chosen. You must leave your email address! This contest is open to the US

How to Enter: Go to Clean Flame and tell me where you can find them near you. Make sure to leave your email address!! I cannot contact the winner without it!

2. Become a fan of Mkokopelli on FB, Mkokopelli on Twitter, or Follow my blog
3. Subscribe to my blog by email (on the right sidebar) You must verify and be active at the time of the giveaway- those who are unverified will become disqualified
4. Blog, Tweet or send a message on FB and leave a link here (3 extra entries total)
5. Enter another giveaway I have going on and tell me which one or leave a comment on a non-giveaway post (1 entry total)
6. Go to Clean Flame and tell me something else you learned that wasn’t mentioned in the post
7. Tell me why you want to try the Clean Flame logs
8. Grab my button

New disclaimer: I was sent this item to review from Clean Flame. This is NO way changes my opinions about the products or company. These are my thoughts, opinions and results.

BARBAR has opened up the Eco 8000 Giveaway to EVERYONE!! So all of my Canadian and abroad readers, head on over and enter! 🙂